In many forms, from television shows and film to childrens and comic books, cartoon characters have entertained, educated and engaged us all, as kids as well as adults, throughout the years. Being able to create characters opens you up to a vast amount of opportunities for income, either for cartooning jobs or self-producing products and services. It is too numerous to total all the products, businesses and services that can benefit from well-drawn cartoon characters, but here are a few examples:
1. T-shirts
Drawing cartoon characters to put on a line of shirts to sell could be a great way to earn income. If your character is visually unique and engaging to the right market, you could have a winner. Sites such as Café Press or Zazzle makes this very easy to do.
2. Books
If you have a great idea for a story, or know someone who does, your drawing skills will come in handy for developing cartoon characters for such things as children's books. And if you know how to draw comics, graphic novels could be the way to go. Services for self-publishing have never been easier with sites such as Lulu or Ka-blam your books can be on shelves in no time.
3. Greeting cards and stationery
Have you ever gone into a bookstore or large retail chain and seen their vast stock of greeting cards and stationary? There are hundreds of cartoon character themes to choose from. Why not one that you created?
4. Toys and games
What's great about learning to draw cartoon characters is that you could create your own toys or partner with an inventor who comes up with the idea and you add your character to it, either as the main product or to enhance it.
5. Animation, television and film
Drawing animation characters for a studio or pitching the idea for a possible production deal, is an option for really good designs with great stories.
6. Caricatures
If you learn how to draw caricatures, you will be able to make extra income at a majority of amusement parks or you could do it yourself at a local park.
7. Mascots
Help schools develop a mascot for team spirit or businesses sell products or services through a well developed character.
Drawing cartoon characters is a great way to find extra income as well as job opportunities and careers. So, can you really profit from drawing cartoon characters? Yes you definitely can, and you are only limited by your creativity and imagination.
Andre "Dre" Saunders attended Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland as an art major. He started freelancing as a designer and illustrator and has worked on projects for such clients as Dupont and the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children as well as creating several covers for a small book publisher.
He is married with four children (two boys and two girls) and is currently working on several projects including a comic book series, a short film, a stage and screen play, a graphic T-shirt line and preparing several characters for licensing and merchandising.
